The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-09-22
Among the Mexicans.
CACAIIUAMILPA, THE WONDERFUL CAVERN.
SCBIERRANEAN ABODE OF THE GENII.

CUERNANACA, Sept. 1851. Ihc WttchinG
hour of three A. NJ. found us assembled in the
court yard, all OH horseback, the party OF
yesterday augmented by the valiant Alcald
and three other tall-coored Mericdnoes from
Acapansngo. besides two extra guides, several
well-armed mozos, and another donkey laden
from head to tail with luggage.
In the early morning, the atmosphere Of the
terra cdliente is the most perfect that can be
imagined. Merely to breathe it is happiness
enough, and the natives are wise in their habit
of arising long enough before ''sun-up" to
accomplish all the business of the day by the
time foreigners are ready to begin; and then,
while the latter are frctting and fuming during
the heated hours. the Mexicans enjoy peace
full siesta between eleven O'Clock and evening.
| Owing to sleepiness and placid delight, we
rode till daylight in perfect sience-a statement
you will scarcely believe considering there
We're half a dozen women In the party. We
studied the familiar faces of stars we had
known in childhood, which somehow look
| alien and strange here-likc oursclycs-so far
| from home. Then light began to dawn, so
| that we could distinguish one anothcr's faces
and make sure that we were not company of
| spooks in shadow-and; and soon the sun arose
in a blaze of golden glory seen only in the
| tropics.
Later we left the fertile lands that adorn the
bases of the foothills, and mounted by steep
paths, where our horses picked their way like
| goats over !oose STONES, TO barren heights
where nothing grows but stuntcd nopas
| C'pricklcy-pcars,' and miserable bluisl-yrcen
hia@uey. Alter hours OF hard riding
/ THE DREADED BARKANCAs
y.ro closo l.ofnro -, ,o.,
ono hnhinI tho ,nn ',',';' - W.
,I o.i "'''.n ~ W.> @ ncoes>sl
birds rather ihan fn han aa, 'J"H nn ,nn' La nt ,o
| l;,tIn trnni.,,,;n un ,.." 80, ,i;. n1' "a
e. ',' p'''n W peS'" .nc ascent i:l,,;.''- l.
| our horses snr.n,I,lnI nv ,I .,. ,,.I =
.mo.t nnr,rni;'. ~ "".s % 'a,a. 1a.''i,.
tn c-'..r n",,. ~, ' mcii W. p'S:'i s'1M,s
| nvnr ,,r b,ro, Li S"' i7i W p'', ,el',S
of ,in. hark,v,rIs WV "", .in,,lo "o" ,is1ta,
or ,tumn wnulI h,,n ,o '.',ran
elm" Of III. ..n.nr ,r,'n ' i.'e'''e' '' ''io'''-
| Ti,,, ,I ,I u .. " .",.
x,n.nnr th,n ,hn f,n, W ,''an
hnu, " Nv. ,',o"I ;,,t H.; 'i ,t,i,' .t,i''
tnwn If Sem Er"n,.isnn M ra,",ia ,.w i' I,s ,"
washed houses neeneI nut ni,t"r:so,,nIv frnn
amnn III" r.,r,t, ,r, '.'t t ~ iin'i
hills and , ;ttl .;v,r n.snj s,, i, ,,nr, ,'s,;"
bridges, murmurs through if. If was a fete
| uav ana musical bells were ringing merriIy,
| Whiic Weii-dreSsed r"ncherDes and their fainl-
| llcs We're Hooking III crowds from the church
| TO lhc i1"9" "e IDfros where bull-tlSht was
| Ill progress. we lohSed TO tarry here. with
our pa1k-achcS ana brll'Se>.-but like that
| ioo.'>ii noy WIN MS banner "cNcelsior!' were
onliScd 10 press onward and upward.
| i'y ana by the moon arose screnely, and Il
sou breeze, fragrant with orange blossoms,
wandered through the trees. Sometimes we
passed pueblo OF scattered Indian htts. each
WITH Its little fire OF sticks lighted in the court,
| Illuminating the brown faces of women bak-
| my ottnHs, and their mahoSany-hued babies
rolling i'll the dirt. At the sound of our horses
feet il chorus of dogs. yclping In discordant
| Jury. gave hotlcc OF their total disapprobation
| OF nlght travellers IN general; but the people
seldom even turned their heads to look at us,
as II such cavalcades We're matters of every
| oaN. AHefWarus we learned that this unusual
sulleDness has arisen from their difficulties
| with Protestant missionaries stationed there
ahoutS. In their minds the names americana
Is synonymous to 4NlSSl0ndrlO, and both mean
| fun0ticO whom to kill would be doing good
service.
The remembrance OF that evenings journey,
| mingled with sleepineSS and fatigue, seems
now like the phantasmagoria of dreanl-a
| strange Jumblc OF misty past and uncertain
| present. IL was fully 10 O'Clock before the
| fires of the sugar-factory on the
coCoYLA HACIENDA.
,,hor, ,,,o ,,.,..o D., ,,,,. ., :.,,. 1000. :,
| ,L ,I ,I ~ l"s' io ..@A'' VIZ. :oeii ~
,no,.,,.'I no ,n"rs neoM .s, uaitlns up !ller reu
wa th,t aun, thn snoi; 9U & WIZ Ia" ..I W. Z
|
,,;,hnm. .i i'o W.. s,epu .ne s'o:p vi tiie Jusl
tha s%aot o ~ oeau.iom W sii'Ai,s
~ ~ ,;1 t ton ssoi p,oiis, " se:i cnllls uhoer
| Nppn";' hp t' any een.ipe'ies. >,
and law, ofo iouno @ Us soou "a a. hew'
,a,orn" @ tTa ,;"%t f N.Y.. W. Meie oi ~. @ .ne
La,'n f;m i.e LII. ~ VI is'y il'oon AltGt !t,
noi =. LILLY iE.u VIZ leacne'l NE pretty Wiz
| .I ~: ''i'iii,pi' "uIic "leahi"s. h'u pee'i
and bows surrounded MS and followed in noisy
| procession. looked q nj
fagan'llns; but presently the road became SO
bad that the >tragglerS, one by one, deserted.
| Inc cham OF mountains into whose bosom
the cavern leads Is bleak and barren beyond
description. Within half mile to the mouth
! OF the cave we came to Il place even more
| dangerous than the barrancas of the previous
day-a narrow path, over-hanging an appalling
prerlplce AMI bordering a perpendicular cliff,
with barely room enough between earth and
heaven for the horses feet, where single
false step, or the sliding away of loose earth
on the edge of the abyss, meant inevitable
destruction.
Arriving at last near the entrance to the
cavern, we dismounted and climbed the rest of
| the way on foot. among stones and gravel, to
| the mysterious mouth of the mountain. Here,
| -sacrilcgious though it seemed-while the
guides and moZos were preparing torches and
| making ready the fireworks, we sat down with
the breath of the subterranean chambers blow
ing upon us, and fortified ourselves for labors
| lotoIHc oH CIllCkcll anu taFu eggs, biscuits anu
sherry, with egg shells for glasses, green leaves
for napkins. and fingers for forks.
The sun was already high in the heavens and
shining with intense brightness on the wild
scenery that surrounded us, when with sensa-
| tions of awe. not unmXed with the supersti-
tiOuS fears of our Indian cO1nDOueyOeS-WbO
| believe the cavern to be the abode of evil
| spirits, we turned
vrn>, n.y1,cur .rn urrpx1 n,pxxrss
.'
| ana a;!nd strained our eyes TO look down the we'll
nkc passage. Inc entrance Is a superb portal,
| more 'hah SeNeh.! leet hish anu Il" rect Wide,
h" ii'e iotHs mli,ii suploIt tnc great aIc'i arc
80 - ss'i,'etfica'y osposeu tliat IL Is haro 10 De-
| 'ievG they are not lle work OF arr; Huge
| plocks oI prokch rock are tossed about III
| down, perhaps two hundred feet. what was
our astonl>lmenf to find ourselves in mag
| hil'cemt bilt gloomy palace, fllled with the most
SlSahtle ana thcahhy figures the Inauguration
can conceive. Our guides had kindlcd fire
mere, ana IT'S rudy gloW, lllckering upon our
selves and the strange forms of the vast laby-
| rlntli, made us all look unreal AS company of
witches and rendered it hard to realize that the
weird figures were but the fantastic produc.
ions OF the water when through unnumbercd
SLOW centuries has been trlcklIny, drop by drop
from the roof.
Each man was given torch to carry and
each lady tallow candle, while the guides
ahead flashed their lights along the walls and
occasionally illuminated the subterranean cham
ber> With fireworks; giving us repeated (but
unnecessary instructions to remain close to-
Sether. Nobody had the slightest disposition
TO- stray away and try his or her luck III the
| winding galleries and mysterious compaEt-
mcIts Cf that unknown and dreadful dark